This original seating design is a project by 23-year old Yan Ling Tan. The design seamlessly integrates into its environs, sitting in the park like a friendly tree branch, softly forcing people to sit down and chat, even if they had not planned to.

Yan Ling about her design: “Form and function go hand-in-hand in the design of ‘Our Branch’. The piece of furniture is designed to improve interaction and the overall experience of group users at the park. It allows everyone who is seated to be approached easily and opens up space for gesturing and visual contact among the users. Group users tend to split into sub-groups. With the branches, the furniture also helps to maintain a sense of cohesiveness in the group.”

THE DESIGNER

Yan Ling Tan recently graduated from a four-year Industrial Design course at the National University of Singapore. “I enjoy creating functional products with forms that remind users of something familiar. I find the relationship between the user and the product very interesting.”